What makes Vienna better than Budapest?

Forbes.hu reports about a Vienna-Budapest meeting that took place on 13 June. According to city developers, the experiences of the Austrian capital will be considered when developing the smart city strategy of Budapest next year.

Vienna was chosen as the most livable city again for the 9th time. Stella D. Bánlaki wonders whether Vienna is really the best choice for the title of the ‘city of the future and innovation’ and what Budapest has to learn from the neighbouring capital.

“I have asked a lot of Austrians in Vienna why they think this is so. In the meantime, deep down, I wonder why so many of my Hungarian friends did not like living here, and why they chose to return to Hungary after a few years.”

The announcement by Eurocomm-PR revealed a fundamental difference between the two cities after the meeting of chief architects, developers and innovators of both Vienna and Budapest. For Vienna, a smart city means being sustainable, livable and people-oriented. In Budapest, however, the term means something different for everybody right now.

The other big difference is that the smart city concept is implemented in every aspect of the development and management of Vienna.

In Budapest, on the other hand, the concept is slowly seeping in from below, through a few projects.

However, Budapest has a chance to redefine the term and develop a new smart city strategy, since the Smart Budapest Concept will be finalised next year, in which Vienna’s experiences are planned to be utilised.

Thomas Madreiter, the chief architect of Vienna, revealed that technology is not the only concern when it comes to the smart city idea, in fact, it is just a tool for realising the strategy:

“Apart from openness, sustainability, social balance and freedom, key aspects are being open to new influences and solving problems together with the citizens and those affected, instead of simply from above.”

Budapest has similar plans for next year, for the new smart city strategy, including the improvement of the quality of life, implementing technology as a tool as well as increasing social involvement. Miklós Mártonffy, the chief architect of Budapest, claims that the results of the recent meeting, the similarities and challenges of both capitals are planned to be considered while planning the new strategy. This means that the smart city plan is not only going to turn Budapest into a technology-focused city but into a more livable one, too.

For more development-related news, check out this article about the carsharing system in Budapest.

Source: forbes.hu